Salerno & Paestum Excursion

In medieval times Salerno was the world capital of medicine, the Monastery of the Benedictine monks who probably founded its medical school, offered the best education then available.

One of the most famous medical texts of that time was the “Regimen Sanistas Salerni” written here in Latin and translated into almost every European language. In more modern times Salerno is best remembered for the Allied troops landing on its beaches, during the second world war.

To the east of Salerno, after the headlands of Pontecagnano, Battipaglia and Eboli, is Paestum, which is one of the most important archaeological sites in the country. Here you will see some of the best preserved Greek ruins, architecture and monuments, such as the Temple of Poseidon (Neptune) the Basilica dating from the 6th Century.

In the museum you can admire the Tomb of the Dive a magnificent example of Greek painting, representing a funeral banquet. The did of the tomb depicts a young man diving into the water.

Look out for the buffalo that you will see grazing on the roadside during the drive.